I was exhausted but relieved. The fight with the ogre had been intense, but I was glad I managed to bring it down. It felt surreal to experience combat against a monster firsthand. I wasn’t sure how long it would take to gather enough soul energy to prepare for the impending attack from another world, but I was determined to protect the people I loved, especially Eliza.

As I caught my breath, I noticed a glowing prompt above the fallen ogre's body: "Harvest Soul Energy". I extended my arm, and the ogre’s body began to dissolve, its energy flowing towards me.

“Congratulations for harvesting a Level 10 Ogre!” the system announced. I had been so focused on the battle that I hadn’t realized the ogre was at such a high level. I wondered just how much energy I’d gained.

"You have now obtained 20 soul energy!"

A notification followed: “Your Three Moons skill leveled up to 2.”

I looked at the message, feeling a small thrill at the progress. The fight had been grueling, but it had earned me valuable soul energy and advanced my skill.

I’ve learned two important things now. First, skills can level up too when I harvest soul energy from monsters. Depending on the monster's level, leveling up the skill grants more access and upgrades to it.

Second, each monster level equals two soul energy. Since the cheapest skill in the shop is 50 soul energy, I need to kill at least two more ogres to afford another skill.

Despite the challenges, I felt an unexpected thrill. The prospect of hunting, leveling up, and acquiring new skills was exhilarating. This new reality was becoming more intriguing by the moment.

The green orb detected another ogre farther to the south. I needed to head in that direction, which meant I would be moving away from Eliza. A surge of worry crept into my thoughts—would she be alright on her own, facing whatever threats came her way?

Her words echoed in my mind: "Don't do that again." I had to push those thoughts aside and focus on my own task. The attack from another world was still an unknown quantity—when it would come, how severe it would be, and what form it might take were all uncertainties we had yet to face.

My priority now was to strengthen myself as much as possible. The more skills I could acquire and the more powerful I became, the better equipped I’d be to handle whatever threat was on the horizon. With each step I took toward the south, I reminded myself that every skill I gathered and every ounce of strength I built were steps toward being ready for the impending danger. The attack was coming, and we had no way of knowing exactly when, but I had to be prepared for it, no matter what.

Thanks to the experience I gained from fighting the first ogre, I was able to take down two more with relative ease. Luckily, these ogres weren't accompanied by a pack—they were more territorial, guarding their own domain rather than working in groups.

The battles were intense, but I used the knowledge I had gained to my advantage. With each ogre defeated, I felt more confident and adept at using the skills provided by the orbs. Their unique abilities were proving invaluable, and I was steadily strengthening myself for the challenges that lay ahead.

After reaching 72 soul energy, I had the option to buy another skill from the shop. Instead of focusing on hunting individual high-level monsters, which was more challenging and time-consuming, I decided it might be more efficient to tackle lower-level monsters in greater numbers to gather more soul energy and purchase additional skills.

One skill that caught my attention was:

Skill Name: Tamer

Description: This skill allows the user to tame monsters. The effectiveness of taming depends on the monster's level compared to the Tamer skill level. At Level 1, the user can tame monsters up to Level 15.

Cost: 54 Soul Energy

Would you like to purchase the "Tamer" skill for 54 soul energy?

Yes, I'd like to purchase it.

Then something popped up: "Would you assign it now or save it later?"

So there's an option to use it now or later. "Now please."

"To whom would you assign it?"

So, this is how I can build an army. I can assign the skill I purchase to a different person. I wonder if I can assign it to a monster as well. "To me, please."

As soon as I made the selection, I felt a surge of energy coursing through me, like a new power had awakened. The ability to tame monsters—this was going to be a game changer.

Now I just need a perfect candidate to tame. I used the green orb to scout the area, and it detected a level 13 centaur nearby. That’s a good one.

After reading the full description of the Tamer skill, I found out that I have to weaken the monster before taming it, no matter the level. So, I have to prepare for a battle then.

As I walked toward the centaur's location, I transformed the red orb into a bow. I decided that a long-range attack would be better since I didn't have the strength to go toe-to-toe with the centaur right now. The bow, now imbued with the magical properties of the Three Moons skill, looked formidable and ready for action.

Thanks to the Three Moons leveling up, it could now transform into magical equipment. I activated the blue orb to create a magical coat that would conceal my presence. This would help me avoid detection, as the centaur might throw its axe at me if it spotted me first.

With the bow in hand and the magical coat in place, I felt more prepared. I moved cautiously, staying hidden behind the trees and bushes as I approached the centaur. The plan was to weaken it from a distance before attempting to tame it. The real challenge was about to begin.

I slowly aimed at the centaur's arm, where it was holding the axe, hoping to disable it. The bow didn’t require physical arrows; it converted magical energy from the environment into a beam of light, which dealt pure damage on impact. This was an advantage, but it also meant that I had no control over the magical arrows once they were fired. Unlike the sword, which I could control mentally and direct with precision, the magical arrows were entirely out of my control once released.

I couldn’t use a spear or any other physical weapon as a backup, as the centaur might hold it with full strength, making it difficult to retrieve or wield effectively.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied my aim at the centaur’s arm, trying to focus as best as I could. With the bow drawn and the magical energy gathering, I released the shot, sending a beam of light toward the centaur’s arm. I hoped that this strategy would be effective and that my aim would be true.

But unlike in movies, my attempt at aiming was dismal. The magical arrow veered off course and missed the centaur entirely. Instead of striking the target, it revealed my position. Despite the presence-concealing cloak, the centaur detected where the shot had come from.

I cursed under my breath, realizing that Yozak’s assertion about the monsters being mindless was far from accurate. This centaur was far more perceptive and enraged by the attack. It charged toward my location, its thunderous steps shaking the ground. Panic set in as I scrambled to escape, trying to put as much distance between us as possible.

I couldn't help but think, “Yozak, you said these creatures were supposed to be lesser intellectual beings. How did this one figure out where I am?” The centaur’s rage was palpable, and it seemed to sense the disturbance even if it couldn’t pinpoint me exactly.

I had to come up with a new plan quickly or risk being caught by the enraged centaur.

I started aiming again, but my frustration mounted as I missed shot after shot. The centaur, now aware of my presence, retrieved the axe it had thrown, preparing for another attack. I had to be more careful and come up with a better strategy.

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind: why stick with ancient weapons? What if I could imagine something more advanced? I pictured a bazooka—something that could detect life force and lock onto its target.

To my amazement, the red orb responded to my mental image. It transformed from a bow into a sleek, futuristic bazooka. This unexpected change took me by surprise, but it was exactly what I needed.

I quickly adjusted my aim, hoping the bazooka’s targeting system would help me overcome my previous failures. The centaur was busy retrieving its axe, and as I prepared to fire, the bazooka’s targeting system engaged, locking onto the centaur’s life force. This might just give me the edge I need to win this battle.

I fired the bazooka, but the centaur’s quick reflexes allowed it to cross its arms and emit a barrier of energy. The shot hit the barrier, causing some damage, but the centaur remained strong and undeterred.

As I prepared to fire again, I realized that the bazooka took time to recharge, gathering magical energy before it could shoot. The delay gave the centaur a chance to reposition and brace for the next attack.

With the centaur’s defenses up, I needed to be patient and strategic. I continued to use the green orb to keep an eye on the centaur's movements while the bazooka recharged, hoping for a moment when the centaur's defenses would drop or when I could exploit a weakness.

I asked the green orb to emit a light behind the centaur, distracting it. The centaur turned its attention to the source of the light, leaving its front unprotected. Seizing the opportunity, I fired the bazooka again.

The shot landed with precision, hitting the centaur directly. The powerful blast inflicted heavy damage, staggering the centaur and weakening it significantly. The creature roared in pain, its defenses compromised and its movements slowed.

With the centaur now weakened, it was time to make my move. I approached cautiously, preparing to use the Tamer skill to tame the injured beast.

Words started to appear above the centaur's head: "The monster can now be tamed due to life force threshold being lower than 20%. Would you like to tame it?"

I selected Yes, and the response came back: "The centaur has been successfully tamed."

The centaur emitted a bright light, shrinking in size and healing all of its wounds. It now looked smaller but still imposing, radiating a new, more controlled aura.

A prompt appeared: "What would you name it?"

I hesitated, thinking of an appropriate name. After a moment, I decided, "Strong One." I’m not the best at naming, but it felt fitting for such a powerful ally.

“You have successfully tamed a level 13 monster!”
“Your Tamer Skill leveled up to 2.”
“You may now have The Calling side skill, a skill that allows you to transport your selected tamed monster to your location.”

With the new skill unlocked, I could now summon Strong One to my side whenever needed, making my journey a bit easier and enhancing my chances of building a strong army.

***

Yozak, lounging on his divine throne, lazily addressed Janus, one of his watchers:

"Janus, how are the Commanders?"

"They are doing fine, my lord," Janus replied. "Eliza has obtained three skills already and is about to get contact with a snow monster in the north."

"And the boy?" Yozak inquired with mild curiosity.

"Well, he is quite strange, my lord. Instead of selecting powerful skills, he chose the Three Moons and acquired a Tamer skill, which he used on a centaur."

Yozak chuckled heartily. "Oh my, oh my. I said to build an army, not a zoo. That boy is truly peculiar. However, don’t underestimate the Three Moons skill, Janus. I created it personally because I was too lazy to deal with monsters myself, so I needed a skill to handle that for me."

"Apologies, my lord."

"Very well. Hopefully, they will be ready in time. In a month, Zypherus' army will start moving."